Talk about a contradiction. I love getting assignments, projects, etc. done WELL ahead of time. Like, as soon as one is assigned, I like to go and get it done immediately so I don’t have to worry about it anymore. BUT, I am also the biggest procrastinator in the world. If I DON’T get something done well in advance, I start to get overwhelmed…so much so that I don’t even want to start. That usually starts to occur around this time of the semester. Instead of taking advantage of free time between classes to get assignments done and the like, I read cookbooks, check my e-mail…anything but school work. All I can think of is how close I am to Thanksgiving break…finals…a whole month off of school. Then I check out.
As deadlines begin to loom, I realize that I have procrastinated and that “oh-no-I’ll-never-get-any-of-this-done-so-why-even-start” feeling sets in. Come on. You know that feeling. I see it. It happens to everyone! How do we avoid it and hang in there for just a few more weeks when all we can think about is freedom? I have a few ideas:
1. Schedule breaks. Ok, so you should do this all semester, but it is even more important to do so at the end! Many big project deadlines and tests occur during these last few weeks which means more breaks are necessary to maintain your sanity. Even if it’s just a meal break, put the study materials away and completely remove yourself from the school work. Enjoy that meal time with a friend, a good magazine, a TV show, or whatever will help take your mind off school for a little while. When you get back to work, you’ll feel refreshed and ready to go.
2. Don’t procrastinate. Yes, I said above that I’m bad about this, but that just means that I know how much better life is when you don’t put things off! I may not have the tenacity to take on and finish the whole assignment ahead of time like I did at the beginning of the semester, but I CAN do little parts each day. Slowly chipping away at something maybe 15-30 minutes at a time helps you feel like you’re getting something accomplished without zapping all of the little energy you have left!
3. Stay focused. Try to remember that, while break is close, it isn’t quite here yet. It is so easy to just extend the holiday break in our minds but then we can let all of the hard work we did early in the semester go to waste! I know there are times when I start to let little things slide, like forgetting to do a small assignment or something. It may only be worth 5 points, but those points can add up and before you know it, your grade could be suffering! This just puts more pressure on you for the final exam, so though it doesn’t seem like it, staying on top of the little things will save you some stress later!
No comments:
Post a Comment